Ink-well holder.



Patented Jan. 30, I900.

B. G. MERRILL.

INK WELL HOLDER.

(Application filed Mar. 13, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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rrn STATES PATEN rrrcs,

INK- -WELL HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 642,241, dated January 30, 1960.

Application filed March 18, 1899. Serial No. 709,616. (No model.)

To all 2072,0722, it may concern:

Be it known that I, BELA G. MERRILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oak Park, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ink-WVell Holders, of which the following is a specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved ink-well with the cover in place; Fig. 2, aplan view of the same with the cover removed; Fig. 3, avertical sectional elevation taken in line 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4., a perspective view of the in kwell holder detached from the other parts; Fig. 5, a vertical sectional elevation taken in line 5 of Fig. 2, showing the clamping mechanism; and Fig. 6, a broken side elevation of the clamping mechanism shown in Fig. 5 for uniting the ink well holder.

In making my improved ink-well I make an ink-well holder or cup A, which may be of sheet tin, brass, or other desired metal or material, due regard to efficiency and economy being considered. This holder is cylindrical in form, open at both ends, and intended to be inserted in a hole made either in an inkstand B or in the top of a desk, as a schooldesk, where it is desired for use. It is provided at its top with a circumferential flange a, bent or extended outward, as well illustrated in Figs. 3 and I, so that when inserted into the hole intended to receive it the flange will rest upon the surrounding stand or desktop and prevent the holder or cup from falling through the hole in which it is inserted. As this ink-well holder will ordinarily be made of metal, it is desirable that it be fastened or connected together at the meetingline in a way that will permit of such contraction and expansion as may be required for variations in diameter of holes bored by different bits of a given size, which hits, while intended to be mechanically accurate, vary slightly in holes bored. To permit this, I provide elongated holes a (shown particularly in Figs. 5 and 6) on one part of the metal plate and tongues a on the other part of the metal plate of narrower width than the length of the holes. These tongues are preferably struck out of the metal, so that they stand at right angles to its face. After the metal is bent into the circular cup forming the holder and the tongues inserted through the holes they are. bent or flattened down, as shown iii Fig. 5. This prevents the metal sheet from being separated,butpermitsalimited movement of the tongues in the holes, so that the parts may slide on each other sufficiently to com pensate for slight variations occurring in holes bored by different bits of the same size. This method of fastening the parts together at their meeting-line will, however, be readily understood from an inspection of Figs. 5 and 6 and need not be further described in detail.

Heretofore ink-wells have been usually, if not invariably, inserted in their holders from the top, so that in order to remove them for any purpose and reinsert them or others in their place it was necessary to remove the cover 0. This cover is intended to be fastened or attached in place by tacks or screws or other desirable means, and before it could be taken off to permit the removal of the inkwell it was necessary to loosen the tacks, screws, or other fastening means, and after the well was returned to place it was necessary to again put the cover on and fasten it in its original position. To obviate this and to dispense with the removal of the cover after it has been put on and the ink-well inserted, I provide for the insertion of the ink well from the bottom. To do this and hold the ink-well securely in place, I make the sheet of tin or other metal forming the inkwell cup of a piece sufiiciently long to permit one end to pass beyond the meeting line and to be bent into or across the interior of the cylindrical cup, cutting off a portion at one side, as particularly shown in Figs. 2 and 4. This ext-ended portion A has sufficient resilliency to operate as a spring, and owing to the fact that there is space behind it it may be sprung back with the finger, so as to perunit the ink-well to be slid into its place from below. The piece A is provided with a lip A extending into the space occupied by the well, which may be struck out of the metal, as shown particularly in Fig. 3. In order to permit the insertion of the ink-well, the piece A must be pushed back sufficiently to permit the well to pass the lip. As soon as the well is pushed in place the piece is permitted to spring back into its initial or normal position, when the lip A will be under the bottom of the ink-well, as shown in Fig. 3, so that it the edge of the well, when the well will slide down into the hand to be removed. In this Way the well can be inserted or removed any desired number of times without removing or disturbing the top; 01? course it will be understood that the' top is provided with a hinged lid 0, having a "proper handle 0, to permit it to be opened when it is desired to use the ink in the Well.

While the holder is primarily designed and intended for use in connection with ink-wells, it is evident that it is adapted for and can be used as a holder for other receptacles or articleswhich it is desirable to have removable Without removing the holder or detaching its cover, and the holder is also capable of use otherwise than with school-desks.

I claim 1. A cylindrical holder or cup for receiving a well of ink or other liquid provided with a circumferential flange and having its meeting parts overlapping, one overlapping part having elongated holes and the over overlapping part having tongues passing through and narrower in width than the holes, whereby the holder or cup is made adjustable to fit varying diameters of holes of a given size, substantially as described.

2. A cylindrical holder or cup for receiving a well of ink or other liquidopen at both ends and havingits meeting parts overlapping with the end of the inner overlapping part bent to project into the cylinder and provided with an inwardly-extending lip at or near its lower edge, substantially as described.

3. Acylindrical ink-well holder or cup open at both ends and having the end of one of the meeting parts bent to project into the cylinder cutting ofi or forming a space of a desired size and shape and provided with an inwardly-extending lip at or near its lower edge, in combination with an ink-well of a corresponding size and shape adapted to be inserted into such space from below and when inserted to be held in place by the inwardlyprojecting lip, substantially as described.

BELA G. MERRILL.

Witnesses:

THOMAS A. BANNING, THoMAs B. McGREcoR.

Sorreetion in Letters Fateui We $2,247

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 642,241, granted January 30, 1900,

nponithe application of Bela G. Merrill, of Oak Park, Illinois, for an improvement in Ink-Well Holders, an error appears in the printed specification requiring cor-rec tion, as follows: In line 28, page 2, the worc over should read other; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed, oountersigned, and sealed this 6th day of February A. D., 1900.

THOS. RYAN, First Assistant Secretary of the Interior.

[snub] Uountersigned O. H. DUELL,

Commissioner of Patents. 

